36
A BUDGET OF PARADOXES.
lation of this tract to be printed, say in the Phil. Mag. Dutch would be clear English if it were properly spelt. For example, learn-master would be seen at once to be teacher; but they will spell it leermeester. Of these they write as van deze; widow they make weduwe. All this is plain to me, who never saw a Dutch dictionary in my life; but many of their mispellings are quite unconquerable.
Jacobus Falco Valentinus, miles Ordinis Montesiani, hanc circuli quadraturam invenit. Antwerp, 1589, 4to.
The attempt is more than commonly worthless; but as Montucla and others have referred to the verses at the end, and as the tract is of the rarest, I will quote them:—
Circulus loquitur.
Vocabar ante circulus
Eramque curvus undique
Ut alta solis orbita
Et arcus ille nubium.
Eram figura nobilis
Carensque sola origine
Carensque sola termino.
Mode indecora prodeo
Novisque fœdor angulis.
Nee hoc peregit Archytas
Neque Icari pater neque
Tuns Iapete filius.
Quis ergo casus aut Deus
Meam quadravit aream?
Eramque curvus undique
Ut alta solis orbita
Et arcus ille nubium.
Eram figura nobilis
Carensque sola origine
Carensque sola termino.
Mode indecora prodeo
Novisque fœdor angulis.
Nee hoc peregit Archytas
Neque Icari pater neque
Tuns Iapete filius.
Quis ergo casus aut Deus
Meam quadravit aream?
Respondet auctor.
Ad alta Turiæ ostia
Lacumque limpidissimum
Sita est beata civitas
Parum Saguntus abfuit
Abestque Sucro plusculum.
Hic est poeta quispiam
Libenter astra consulens
Sibique semper arrogans
Negata doctioribus.
Senex ubique cogitans
Sui frequenter immemor
Nec explicare circinum
Lacumque limpidissimum
Sita est beata civitas
Parum Saguntus abfuit
Abestque Sucro plusculum.
Hic est poeta quispiam
Libenter astra consulens
Sibique semper arrogans
Negata doctioribus.
Senex ubique cogitans
Sui frequenter immemor
Nec explicare circinum
